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Emperor Constantine called a council for the church to make a decision about what their beliefs about the divinity of Christ.
There was a heresy within the church that God the Father was greater than Jesus. This was called Arianism. The Council's final decision was that Jesus is of the same substance as the Father
Many people today ask if the Church is dying, especially in America. I say that it is not. It is true that the church is in a transitional period as it faces moral issues and persecution from new groups, but I think that this period will bring more clarity as to who the church is if we can stand firm in our beliefs and stand together. The challenge being faced currently is finding a balance between standing firm in our beliefs and the truth of the Gospel while also loving on and welcoming those who are lost. One of the shortcomings of the church today is its failure to do so. More often than not we either are too accepting or too judgemental. However, I think that even in the midst of cultural change that is making society more liberal, the core of the church will rise up. The church is not perfect, and it is not without faults, but perhaps during this time we are experiencing trial by fire that will sharpen us and make us stronger. It has happened before in church history and it will happen again.
Martin Luther was called before the emperor and asked to recant. He was asked if the writings before him were his and if he would recant. He said that the writings were his own, but he would not recant. Instead he stood his ground, and his writings changed the Christian faith as they re-centered it around grace and the salvation through Christ's sacrifice
The writing of St. Benedict's Rule was a rule book for monks. These monks became a key to Christianity's survival.
The rise of monasticism was caused by the persecution occurring in the world, and the monks' concern for what was happening to the values of the church.
-They were able to preserve the disciplines of setting their hearts on things above, following Christ's example, and praying without ceasing
Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael excommunicated each other which led to the Church splitting into the Western Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy.
There had been tension for a long time within the church, and the ultimate dividing factor was the pope
-The pope often acted without notifying the Eastern leaders
-Final straw was the crowning of Charlemagne which he had done without consulting the East
This was significant because it pushed the Church outwards, and caused them to establish
1. Cannon (books of scripture)
2. Episcopacy (bishops and leadership)
3. Creeds (reciting basic beliefs)
A conference of over 1,000 missionaries were called together in Scotland for the hope that the unity begun in the missions field might extend its influence. They discussed the transport of the Gospel, and this led to the revival of mission activity. Missions led to a broader expansion of Christianity and now also included women.
However, missions come with a cost. The cross-cultural expansion led to persecution and massacres of many Christian, but it was still a triumph. Missions became a picture of heaven as the Christian faith was translated into different ways of life.
The Great Awakening had three major leaders: George Whitefield, John Wesley, and Charles Wesley. They renewed the doctrines of God's grace and took the Bible from the Church into the world. They focused on real issues that applied to the middle class and made faith personal and sermons easier to comprehend. Whitefield and the Wesleys became the forefathers of outdoor evangelism.
This council was called to discuss the two natures of Christ and how they work together.
View 1: Christ has only one nature. The humanity of Christ is so swallowed up by his deity that it disappears
View 2: Jesus is one person existing in two natures. Known as the hypostatic union. Mary is seen as the God-bearer.
The final decision was that Jesus was both fully God and fully man simultaneously
On Christmas Day, Pope Leo II crowned Charlemagne-or Charles King of the Franks- the Emperor of the Romans.
This event showed how much power the papacy had gained. The pope now theoretically had more power than anyone in Europe because he was the "spokesperson for God." It also showed the synthesis between the Church and the Roman empire.
The Christians launched the Crusades as an attempt to take Jerusalem back from the Muslim occupation. They also occurred for economic and political reasons. Many of the Crusades were unsuccessful and some even occurred without the sanction of the pope.
Effect: The Church's wealth and power increased greatly. Many people sold their land to the church when they left to go to war, and some paid the church for prayers. It also caused corruption within the church which would lead to problems later.
Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity after he had received a vision and saw a cross of light with the inscription: “By this symbol you will conquer.” He then issued a decree that the persecution of Christians was illegal.
For the first time Christianity and the Roman Empire became very connected